Hinge construction



July 15, 1952 L. ANDERSON HINGE CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-shewv 1 Filed April 2, 1945 \nuemor Anderson gd L MM Aflorneg July 15, 1952 Filed April 2, 1945 L. L. ANDERSON HINGE CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 10 l a? 'H mm M 11%? LAnderso Akfomegg July 15, 1952 ANDERSON 2,602,957

HINGE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 2, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mf L mgd LAncievson Patented July 15, 1952 sNT OFFICE HINGE CONSTRUCTION Lloyd L. Anderson, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to Winters & Crampton Corporation, Grandville, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 2, 1945, Serial N 0. 586,088

7 7 Claims. 1

This invention is directed to a construction of cabinet hinge, in which the cabinet body is open at its upper side and closed by adoor which occupies a horizontal position when in closed position. The present invention, while it has been produced primarily for use in, conjunction with low temperature or frozen food cabinets, is of course of general application to cabinets having substantially horizontal upper closures which may be turned to or towarda vertical position when the cabinet is to be opened, not bein solely restricted to refrigerated cabinets.

The hinge which I have developed is attached externally. One object and purpose of the present invention is to providean external hinge, the parts of which are connected to the rear side of the back of the cabinet and to the rear edge of the closure lid or top and which has means for maintaining the toplin substantially any position to which, it is moved andat thesame time projects at the rear of the cabinet a minimum distance. Withhinge's projecting a relatively short distance, and a distance les than other'hinges heretofore produced for use in the sam places, there is a conserving of space which permits the design of wider cabinets within the limits permitting them to be carried through doorways with a minimum of interference. I

The closure lid or door, having aweight of approximately twenty to forty-five pounds, would if left unsupported when moved to open position, fall downwardly with chances of possible injury to those reaching into the cabinet for its contents. My invention provides insurance against such happening through a novel construction of hinge, associated with which are torque members which are distorted and store up energy when the lid is closed, and which energy will exhibit itself in force when the lid is lifted, operating against the normal effects of gravity to aid in holding the door or lid closure in substantially any operative position to which it is lifted.

Many other objects and purposes and constructive means for attaining them, such as limiting the lifting of the lid to slightly less than a vertical position, increasing orv decreasing tension in the torque member or member used, and increasing or diminishing friction, which friction also aids in holding the closure or lidin any position to which moved, will be apparent upon an understanding of the invention had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a cabinet having a novel hinge structure of my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an under plan view, partly in section, showing the construction substantially midway between the ends of the cabinet.

Fig. 3 is a similar under plan view of the hinge structure, one adjacent each end of the cabinet.

Fig. 4. is a fragmentary rear elevation of a'cab inet having a different form or embodiment of my invention of hinge construction applied thereto.

Fig. 5 is a view similar toFig. 3, an under plan view of the hinge construction adjacent each end of the cabinet of the form of hinge shown in Fig. 4. 1

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing a still further form of hinge construction one at each end of the cabinet.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation, parts of the cabinet and its upper closure being shown in vertical section. r

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the cabinet and the hinge structure shown in Fig. 7, substantially on the plane of line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a similar section substantially on the plane of line Ill-40 of Fig. '7, butshowing the lid in open position, and- Fig. 11 is a like section plane of line I l-.l l of Fig. 7.

Like reference characters refer to like. parts in the different figures of the drawings.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, one form or embodiment of the invention is shown. The cabinet I ha a closure lid 2 at its upper side which occupies a horizontal position when closed. A sealing gasket 3 of a conventional construction is normally secured at the upper edges of a cabinet around th contents receiving openin therein.

To provide a hinged connection of the closure lid or top 2 to the cabinet 9|, at the rear edge of the top and adjacent eachiend thereof a-hinge leaf 4 is secured by screws or-other suitablefastenings. Each leaf is preferably of plate metal and is bent back upon itself and formed with a roll 5 which extends below the lower sideof the lid- 2 when it is in horizontal position. 1

substantially on the The other hinge members or butts are permanently secured to the rear side of the cabinet adjacent its upper edges, being made from flat metal, having an inner side 6 located against the rear side of the cabinet and from which stop flanges I are turned rearwardly at right angles. Each hinge includes two such hinge butts, and the flanges 1 thereof are spaced apart a distance such that the hinge roll 5 passes between them. According to the illustrated embodiment of the invention the metalat the edge of the base member 6 opposite the flange l is formed into a U- shaped channel 8..

Within the roll 5 a split brass bushing, such as indicated at 9, is positioned. Also like bushings are positioned within the rolls I] provided by continuing the base members 6 and bending them back upon themselves as shown at 10, iastening screws passing through the .ove glappi ng portions l and inner portions 8 and thence into the body of the cabinet I.

A rod [2 extends through the bushing -9 and at its outer end is bent at right angles to make an arm l3 which is received within th channel 8, as shown in Fig. 1. Said rod extends substantially to the middle portion in the length of the cabinet, and is then bent in the opposite direction at right angles to make an @rm H, which is received within a channel shaped holding bracket [5 permanently secured at the rear edge and substantially midway between the ends of the lid or top 2.

There are two of the rods l2 and two of the hing constructions. The hinge constructions are secured one adjacent each .end of the cabinet nd he l d o t p and said ods 12 exte toward each o h r an both have their inner laterally bent arms I! received within the holding bracket I5. It is evident that said rods are distorted and twisted about their longitudinal axes when the lid is closed so that on lifting the lid the rods serve to help lift the lid and balance against its ei ht hile wh the lid is a i closed. th ods are a a n d s orted and a force accumulated in the rods which will aid in lifting the lid, and in o unction th the fricti n at t e hi es m ed to he rods wi hold he lid in subs h ly a os t on o which i is a It is r course to be understood that even at its widest o en p s ti n at whi h it s stopped when the inge lea e 4 some a a nst the upp r e s of t e t ps 1 the ro l St ll be d stort d s ehat rom the osi ions whic the w ul no m l ake it ree and th pro ress ve v ments of a lid or top toward closed position the resisting force of the rods 12 is increased so as to compensate for and work against the progressively increasing force 01' gravity upon the lid or top tending to moye to closed position the more it approaches such closed position.

In the construction shown in Figs.& and 5, the hinge leaf 16, one attached adjacent each end of the lid or door, has at each end thereof and extending downwardly below the bottom of the door, hinge rolls I! which are spaced irom each other. From the inner side of the hinge leaf I6 the metal from which it is made extends outwardly at the outer end of the hinge and is formed into a channel shaped rod receiving socket as shown at l8. The hinge butt connected to the rear side of the cabinet I has a, base plate I 9 through which screws pass to secure to the cabinet, at its outer edge being provided with an outwardly turned stop flange and at its inner upper corner with a shorter stop flange or projection 4 2| disposed between the inner ends of the rolls l1. At the inner edge of the base portion IS th metal is extended and formed into a. channel shaped receiving socket 22, the lower end of which may be closed a shown in Fig. 5. The base l9 at its upper portion is continued and formed into a substantially cylindrical roll 23 and below said roll the metal is continued in 2. depending tongue 24. A bolt 25 passes through the base l9 and tongue 24 and receives a nut for adjusting the tension of the roll 23 against the inner split bushing 9 which extends therethrough. Two rods 26 are located between the twospaced apart hinges on the cabinet and its top lid closure. Said rods :pass through the bushings 9 and are offset downwardly and extended to th receiving socket 22 terminating in arms 21 bent at right angles therefrom to be received in said sockets. The opposite ends likewise have arms 28 bent at right angles thereirom which enter th receiving sockets I I8 previously described.

It is evident from this construction that both rods 26 are distorted about their longitudinal axes when the cabinet is closed and that the o ce of b th a ds in lifting the door .or lid 2 and n ho d ng it n ahrp s t onto which it is m v d, with adjustment of the frictional resistance against movement proyided by means of tightening o r loosening the nut on the bolt 25. Such frictional resistance thus provided will hold the closure lid at any angle to which lifted against movement, and against a tendency for the lid to close slowly if it is left in a partially open position which is between closed position and an intermediat position at which the door would be balanced if no frictional resistance were provided. Also, if the door is initially lifted beyond such intermediate balanced position. it will be prevented from slowly mcying to its extreme vertical position. On end of each torsion spring rod is held by being connected with the cabinet and the other is connected with the movable closing lid.

Figs. 6 to 11 inclusive show a still further embodiment of the inyention or in a different specific form. one of the hinge butt members has a base 6, a stop flange fl perpendicular thereto, a roll H, and a portion l0 overly ng the base 6. Th other hinge butt member has a base 6a of a different form but with a similar stop flange 7 d w h he e al continued and formed into a longer roll 29 and thence extended into an overlapping tongue 30 with a tensioning bolt 3| passing through the parts 5c and 30 and a nut therefor for adjusting the tension of the surrounding cylindrical roll 29 against split bushing 9 (Fig. 9) and the part 32 passed therethrough.

The torsion members comprise an elongated rod 3! and a tubular sleeve 32 surrounding the rod 3| for the major portion of its length. The tube 32 extends through the rolls 29, I and II terminating at the outer .end of said roll II and the rod 3| extends beyond. At the opposite or inner ends of the rod SI and tube 32 both are bent through an arc of substantially From the base 6 the metal is extended and formed into a u-shaped channel 35, the web of which is inclined as indicated in Fig. 8. The rod 3| where it extends beyond the tube 32 is bent at right angles to provide an arm 34 which extends into the open upper end of said channel and substantially through it. A bar 36 which may be of channel form is provided with an overhanging upper end to bear against the upper edge of and be suspended from the web of said channel 35, passing downwardly therethrough and receiving the arm 34 between its side flanges. A bolt 31 passes through the lower end of the bar 36 and through the covering of the cabinet I into a recess provided to re ceive it, threading through the nut 38, whereby by turning the bolt the rod 3| may be distorted about its longitudinal axis with respect to the relatively fixed tube 32 through which it passes; and of course the bolt when turned in the O posite direction will release and lessen the degree of distortion.

The tube 32 passing through the roll 5 is per manently and securely fastened therewith by welding or brazing, the split bushings 9 being used only within the rolls I I and 29 of the hinge butts. On closing the lid, because of such fixed connection tube 32 is distorted about its longitudinal axis with reference to the rod 3|, which because of the construction at the bend at 33 will have a distorting force transmitted to it in addition to whatever in the way of distortion has been initially provided in the assembly or may be added thereto by adjustment of the screw 31. Thus there is provided with this form of construction the same fundamental distortion of longitudinal members of spring material about their longitudinal axes for developing a force when the lid is closed which will aid in lifting the lid and also in holding it in any position to which lifted,together with the provision of friction means as a further aid to holding the lid in any position to which it is adjusted and for assuring that it will remain in that position.

The constructions described are readily and easily manufactured and installed on cabinets and top lid closures of the class described, projecting rearwardly of the rear sides of such closures very short distances. The torsion rods or tubes used, by reason of the lengths thereof which may be utilized, being of suitable spring material are fully able to withstand the strains to which they are subjected without development of distortion which will cause an exceeding of the elastic limits of the materials used. Springs and counter-weights are eliminated with a resultant saving of space in the complete overall dimensions of a cabinet to which my invention is applied, thereby providing for utilization of the available space within the limitations of which the cabinet must be constructed in order to pass through standard doors or other openings.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A hinge adapted to pivotally connect a horizontal door or lid to a cabinet, said hinge including two hinge leaves pivotally connected together and adapted to be attached respectively to said door and said cabinet, a tube arranged in alignment with the axis of the hinge pivot, and a resilient rod located within said tube, one end of said tube and said rod being non-rotatively connected together, the other end of said rod projecting from the other end of said tube, said tube being adapted to be non-rotatively connected to one of said door or cabinet, and said other end of said rod being adapted to be nonrotatively connected to the other of said door or cabinet.

2. A hinge adapted to pivotally connect a horizontal door or lid to a cabinet, said hinge including two hinge leaves pivotally connected together and adapted to be attached'respectively to said door and said cabinet, a resilient tube arranged in alignment with the axis of the hinge pivot, and a resilient rod located within said tube, one end of said tube and said rod being nonrotatively connected together, the other end of said rod projectingfrom theother end of said tube, said tube being adapted to be 'non-rotatively connected to one of said door orcabinet adjacent said other end of said tube, and said other end of said rod being adapted to be non-rotatively connected to the other of said door or cabinet.

3. A hinge structure adapted to pivotally connect a horizontal door or lid to a cabinet, said structure comprising two hinge leaves, a tubular pintle, and a resilient rod located within said tubular pintle, one end of said pintle and one end of said rod extending a substantial distance beyond one common edge of said hinge leaves and being non-rotatively joined together, said rod being otherwise free to rotate with respect to said tubular pintle, the other end of said pintle being adapted to be non-rotatively secured to one of said door or cabinet, the other end of said rod extending outwardly of said pintle and being adapted to be non-rotatively secured to the other of said door or cabinet.

4. A hinge adapted to pivotally connect a horizontal door or lid to a cabinet, said hinge including two hinge leaves pivotally connected together and adapted to be attached respectively to said door and said cabinet, a tube arranged in alignment with the axis of the hinge pivot, and a resilient rod located within said tube, one end of said tube and said rod being bent to form a non-rotative connection therebetween, the other end of said rod projecting from the other end of said tube, said tube being adapted to be nonrotatively connected to one of said door or cabinet, and said other end of said rod being adapted to be non-rotatively connected to the other of said door or cabinet.

5. A hinge structure adapted to pivotally connect a horizontal door or lid to a cabinet, said structure comprising two hinge leaves, a tubular pintle, and a resilient rod located within said tubular pintle, one end of said pintle and one end of said rod extending a substantial distance beyond one common edge of said hinge leaves and being non-rotatively joined together, said rod being otherwise free to rotate with respect to said tubular pintle, the other end of said pintle being non-rotatively secured to one of said hinge leaves, said hinge leaf being adapted to be mounted on one of said door or cabinet, the other end of said rod extending outwardly of said pintle and being adapted to be non-rotatively secured to the other of said door or cabinet.

6. A hinge adapted to pivotally connect a horizontal door or lid to a cabinet, said hinge including two hinge leaves pivotally connected together and adapted to be attached respectively to said door and said cabinet, a tube arranged in alignment with the axis of the hinge pivot, and a resilient rod located within said tube, one end of said tube and said rod being non-rotatively connected together, the other end of said rod projecting from the other end of said tube, said tube being adapted to be non-rotatively connected to one of said door or cabinet, and said other end of said rod being adapted to be adjustably connected to the other of said door or cabinet.

7. A hinge structure adapted to pivotally connect a horizontal door or lid to a cabinet, said structure comprising two hinge leaves, a tubular pintle, a resilient rod located within said tubular pintle, one end of said pintle and one end of said rod extending a substantial distance beyond one common edge of said hinge leaves and being nonrotatively joined together, said rod being otherwise free to rotate with respect to said tubular pintle, the other end of said pintle being adapted to be non-rotatively secured to one of said door or cabinet. the other end of said rod extendin outwardly of said pintle and being adapted to be non-rotatively secured to the other of said door or cabinet, and means associated with the hinge structure for adjustably controlling friction between said pintle and the hinge leaf relative to which said pintle rotates when said door is opened and closed.

LLOYD L. ANDERSON. 15 2,268,013

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 251,591 Jaeger Dec. 2'7, 1881 822,555 Robers June 5, 1906 951,944 Farnam Mar. 15, 1910 10 1,012,162 Roper Dec. 19, 1911 1,175,560 Rixson Mar. 14, 1916 1,569,089 Janca Jan. 12, 1926 1,585,653 Dath May 25, 1926 1,922,365 Heasley Aug. 15, 1933 Berley et a1 Dec. 30, 1941 

